Foul During AP Throw-In

[Sven]

Originally posted by Sven
Here's the situation that occurred tonight in a boys' varsity game (NFHS rules):

Less than 5 seconds left in the second quarter -- held ball called. Arrow pointing to A's basket.

During the throw-in (while ball is at A1's disposal), a foul is called on A2 prior to the bonus. B's ball at spot of foul.

Arrow is not switched. Still pointing to A's basket. Ball is put in play by B and time expires in first half.

After replaying the scenario and some discussion with the scorekeepers, the floor officials are unsure about the proper arrow direction but will look up in the rule book during half time...

They ruled that the arrow should be switched. B's ball to start the third quarter. I believe this was a mistake on the grounds that a foul by the throw-in team during the throw-in (ie. before it has ended) does not cause the throw-in team to lose the arrow.

Looking for confirmation and a rule or case book citation. If I'm wrong, I stand corrected.

Sven,

You are correct on your belief if the play unfolded as you described. But, I would like to know how close were you when the ruling was made? The reason I ask is maybe that only "flipped" the arrow to match the direction that Team B would be going to begin the 2nd half? Of course, that would not match the play as you described it. It's hard to understand how they could look this up at halftime and return with this misinterpretation????

I was very close, as I was the official scorekeeper. I knew the correct interpretation of the situation and did not switch the arrow. The floor officials were brought into the mix because the scorekeeper for Team B was sitting next to me at the table (as is customary in our neck of the woods) and he brought it to the officials' attention. Not his job clearly, but keep in mind that I am also an employee of the school whose team (A) would benefit from the arrow remaining pointed to A's basket.

I'll accept that the floor officials' probably know this. They don't know me, and they also don't know for certain that when I'm acting in the capacity of scorekeeper, I'm as disinterested as they in the outcome of the game. I just want to get it right.

I politely did what I could to assist the floor officials and recapped the sequence of events originally described. I also stated that a foul by the throw-in team during the throw-in does not cause that team to lose the arrow. They said, "Okay that's your side." They then turned to the gentleman sitting next to me -- call him the assistant scorekeeper -- and said to him, "What do you have to say?" He explained his view, which indicated immediately that he didn't know the correct application of the rule.



And to clarify, you are correct in that the arrow was not literally 'switched' to start the third quarter. The floor officials told me they'd "looked it up" during half time and that the arrow should point to Team B's basket. Since we hadn't switched the direction at half time, it was still pointing the same way; now in the direction of Team B.

With all due respect, I told them that I believed they had misapplied the rule, but I, of course, complied with their wishes.

Having been an official (floor and table) for twenty years and knowing the rule cold, should I have done anything differently?

(I already asked my wife and she said, "Yes, next time, just keep your mouth shut!")

Sven